Ahmedabad: Senior IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt, who accused Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi of complicity in the 2002 post-Godhra riots, was sent to judicial custody after a court rejected the plea for police remand on Saturday.

Police had asked for seven days' custody of Bhatt, who was arrested on Friday , in connection with the complaint filed by constable K D Pant.

However, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate B G Doshi rejected the plea, and sent Bhatt to judicial custody for 15 days.

Earlier in the day, Bhatt's wife Shweta said that she feared for her husband's life, as he had been handed over to the city crime branch.

However, City Police Commissioner Sudhir Sinha said that the apprehension was "unfounded".

The police also went to search Bhatt's house on Saturday, for the second time, but had to return when Shweta demanded to see a fresh search warrant. She also alleged that police were harassing them, for speaking the truth.

Bhatt was arrested in connection with the FIR filed by Pant for allegedly threatening him and making him sign a false affidavit with regard to a meeting called by Modi on February 27, 2002, hours after the Godhra train carnage.

Gujarat Police on Saturday described as ‘unfounded’ the fear expressed by the wife of arrested IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt that there is a threat to his life.

"We do not perceive any threat to the life of Bhatt. The fear expressed by his wife is unfounded," City Police Commissioner Sudhir Sinha said.

"The wife of Mr Bhatt had submitted a letter to the Police Control Room, saying there is a threat to his life as his custody has been handed over to Crime Branch," he said.

"Bhatt will be soon produced in the court, which will decide about further action on the complaint against him."

A day after Bhatt was arrested, his wife on Saturday said she feared for her husband's life and has written letters to the DGP and city Police Commissioner demanding justice.

"A case was lodged against Sanjiv in Ghatlodia Police Station and he was handed over to Crime Branch (officials), who are encounter specialists. I can't trust them at all. I fear for his life," Shweta Bhatt said.

"In wake of these circumstances, I have written letters to Director General of Police Chitranjan Singh, Ahmedabad Police Commissioner and Chief Judicial Magistrate of a local court, narrating what is happening with us and demanding justice," she said.

However, they were not allowed to meet the IPS officer as they had not taken permission.

Bhatt was arrested on Friday in connection with an FIR filed against him by Police Constable K D Pant for allegedly threatening him and making him sign a false affidavit with regard to a meeting called by Chief Minister Narendra Modi on February 27, 2002, hours after Godhra train carnage.

Police try to raid Bhatt house; return after wife confronts

Moreover, police on Saturday came for the second time to raid arrested IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt's house here, but had to return when his wife confronted them and asked them to produce a fresh search warrant.

Bhatt's residence was raided on Friday after he was arrested on a complaint filed by a Police Constable.

"Today around 30 to 35 police officers came once again to raid our house. But today, I confronted them and asked them to produce a search warrant. They were able to just produce yesterday's warrant as they did not possess a fresh search warrant," Bhatt's wife Shweta said.

"I told them that to search our house based on Friday's warrant amounted to harassment. They cannot search our house twice on the basis of one warrant," she maintained.

"After that they left our house," Shweta further said.

"The police are trying to harass us as my husband has spoken the truth," Shweta stated.

Following the arrest of Bhatt, who has accused Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi of complicity in the 2002 riots, police conducted a raid at his residence in Memnagar area to "check for evidence" related to the complaint.

Bhatt was arrested in connection with an FIR filed against him by Constable KD Pant for allegedly threatening him and making him sign a false affidavit with regard to a meeting called by Modi on February 27, 2002 hours after the Godhra train carnage.

Bhatt has been locked in a public confrontation with Modi after he filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court accusing the Chief Minister of complicity in the riots. He has been served a chargesheet by Gujarat Home Department in connection with his alleged unauthorised absence from duty.